Leadership & Governance

Strong Leadership for a Caring Community

At Martin Luther Homes, we believe that good governance and visionary leadership are essential for delivering the highest standards of care.

Board of Directors

Our Board is made up of dedicated professionals who bring expertise in aged care, health, finance, community services, and faith leadership.

Eric Christoph – Chair

Eric has extensive experience as a business leader, strategy innovator and change leader. He has coached and advised people in different countries. Eric has a passion for developing excellence and outstanding performance from individuals and organisations. Eric has been part of the board since 2017 and assumed the role of chairman in 2022.

Emeritus Professor Dr. Sabine Hammond

Emeritus Professor Dr. Sabine Hammond is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience as a researcher, educator, and practitioner. She has held leadership positions in both academic and professional settings. Sabine has also served on higher education, regulatory, and not-for-profit boards. Her expertise includes governance, ethics, professional practice, and regulation. Sabine has been a member of the Martin Luther Homes Board since 2019.

Geoff Miller

Geoff is an infrastructure specialist with 40 years of experience in civil, roadwork, and asset management projects. This experience includes strategy, business development, design, and operations. He joined the Martin Luther Homes board in 2014 after being nominated by the Lutheran Church of Australia (Victoria and Tasmania District).

Christine Lau

Christine is a graduate of AICD’s Company Director Course. With a background in private legal practice and as in-house sole General Counsel across various industries, she possesses a deep understanding of stakeholder challenges. Nine years as General Counsel in the home care, NDIS, and respite care sectors enriched her knowledge of the Government-funded aged care system. Currently, she serves as General Counsel in the probiotics industry and mentors law graduates, leveraging her experience to contribute at a strategic level.

Graham Barrie

Graham has over 25 years of experience in leadership roles at Ford Motor Company. In addition, he served 13 years at the board level at a smaller not-for-profit retirement village, providing strategic and operational guidance. His expertise lies in governance, leadership, and the financial and operational aspects of operating in the not-for-profit sector. Graham is a long-term congregational member of the Calvary Lutheran Church. He has joined the MLH board in 2021.

Executive Team

The Executive Team manages the day-to-day operations of MLH, ensuring residents, families, and staff receive the support they need.

Birgit Goetz

Chief Executive Officer

Birgit joined Martin Luther Homes as Chief Executive Officer in 2011. She has started her career in the healthcare sector as a midwife in Germany and the UK. In the UK, Birgit worked as Clinical Educator and managed neonatal intensive care units and infection control departments. Since arriving in Australia in 1998, she has completed an MBA and held a number of senior executive roles in the public and private health care sector. As the CEO of Martin Luther Homes, Birgit combines her essential clinical skills with her extensive experience in management and planning on a daily basis.

Elise Gowans

Director of Nursing

Elise spent over a decade in Queensland before returning to her hometown. With a strong Christian faith guiding her journey, she was inspired by her nan’s experience in aged care to pursue a career in nursing. Now, with over 20 years in the field and a Bachelor of Nursing degree, she is dedicated to providing compassionate care. Outside of work, she cherishes time with her twin daughters and enjoys expressing her creativity through drawing and clay work. Her commitment to service began early, earning her the Duke of Edinburgh Award for volunteering at her nan’s aged care facility.

Vicky Chiang

Deputy Director of Nursing

Vicky is a Registered Nurse who has been part of Martin Luther Homes since 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the development of our outbreak management plan as the Infection Prevention and Control Lead. She’s passionate about education and teamwork, and now supports the care team in her role as Deputy DON.

Tim Lewinski

Program Manager

Tim is originally from Austria but chose to make Australia his home. He joined Martin Luther Homes in July 2022 as the Operations Manager, where he oversaw the facility and served as the primary point of contact for all building-related matters. In 2025, he stepped into his new role as Program Manager. Tim holds qualifications in business and marketing and brings experience from a range of sectors, including not-for-profit organisations.

Reuben Yap

Finance Manager

Reuben has started looking after the accounts of Martin Luther Homes in October 2022. Reuben grew up in Indonesia and came to Australia over 20 years ago. He studied Accounting and Finance in Sydney before making Melbourne his new home. He has worked as an accountant and finance manager in the aged care industry and for non-for-profit organisation.

Evelin Martin

Admissions Manager

Evelin joined our Martin Luther Homes’ team in 2013. She grew up in Germany, went to school in France and lived in the USA before coming to Australia over 30 years ago. Evelin has a postgraduate degree from Monash University and taught languages and IT at schools. She has found her passion to work in aged care. As our Admissions Manager, she assists new residents to enter and settle into aged care and liaises with residents and their families.

Debbie Grey

Lifestyle Coordinator

Debbie has first joined us as a Lifestyle Assistant in 2020. She took over the role of our Lifestyle Coordinator in 2021. Debbie brings a long history of working in aged care with her. She has worked over 20 years as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) and as a Lifestyle Assistant. As our Lifestyle Coordinator, she is responsible and the go-to person for all things activities in our aged care facility, including looking after our volunteers.

Ricarda Rammanhor

Support at Home (SAH)

Ricarda joined the team in 2019 and is responsible for the Support at Home Program. Ricarda has a background in Business Management/Sales and Marketing. In 2007, she migrated with her family to Australia from South Africa and quickly found her new calling in the Aged Care Sector, where she has worked for a number of organisations in management roles.

Eva Panousopoulos

Clinical Care Coordinator

Eva’s journey began as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) before making the decision to upskill and become an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse. Since then, she has gained extensive experience across hospital, aged care, and agency settings, working a wide variety of shifts.

Through her years of experience, Eva has developed a deep understanding of and respect for her profession. She is proud to serve as the Clinical Care Coordinator at Martin Luther Homes.

She finds great fulfillment in working with elderly individuals, advocating for them, listening to their life stories, and learning about their past, family, travels, and work experiences.

Henny McMahon

Site Manager

Henny was born and raised in Germany and migrated to Australia in 2008. Her career is varied in roles and industries, with around 10 years spent in Aged Care – the industry Henny is most passionate about. Henny was originally trained in a 3-year apprenticeship in Hotel Management in Germany. Her 20 years in the workforce and her Master’s in Business Administration have equipped her with varied experiences and a great foundation to support the older persons and lead the site operation.

Elise Robertson

Complaints Resolution Officer

Elise joined Martin Luther Homes in 2012 as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) before transitioning to the role of Complaints Resolution Officer in 2022. Prior to joining MLH, Elise worked in the community, providing respite, personal care, and companionship to older adults.

Outside of work, Elise enjoys reading, spending time in the garden, and has recently rekindled a passion for horse riding.

Birgit Gisler

Retirement Village Coordinator

Birgit is from Germany and lived in the Italian part of Switzerland for ten years. She worked as a Physiotherapist in both places. Then, more than 20 years ago, she moved to Australia. In Australia, Birgit learned about Fitness and got certified. For about 15 years, she helped people as a trainer, especially focusing on the well-being of older adults. Since 2017, Birgit has been taking care of our Retirement Village. She cares about making life better for the people who live there. She has a lot of experience from different countries and knows much about helping people stay healthy and happy.

Commitment to Transparency

We are committed to open communication, compliance with regulatory standards, and continuous improvement in our services.